Elinor "Ellie" Walker is a fictional character in the American television sitcom The Andy Griffith Show. She is notable for being Andy Taylor's first regular girlfriend seen on the show. Ellie makes 12 appearances in the first season. Despite the paucity of her appearances, she was intended as a series regular. Unlike girlfriends that would follow, her portrayer, Elinor Donahue, is given opening credit billing, alongside Andy Griffith.
Elinor Donahue was an established television star and had just finished her tour of duty as Betty "Princess" Anderson in the popular 50s sitcom, Father Knows Best when she joined The Andy Griffith Show. Producers believed her name would have "drawing power" and gave her top billing in the opening credits with stars Andy Griffith, Ron Howard and Don Knotts. The only other performer to receive top billing during the course of the series' run was Frances Bavier (Aunt Bee) who began to appear in the opening credits in the 1965-1966 season after Don Knotts left the series.
Donahue's wardrobe in the show was created by Mr. Burt of Encino, who received a nod in the closing credits. Donahue was dining out with her mother and three year old son when Mr. Burt approached her table and offered to provide the wardrobe. She approved Mr. Burt's designs and brought him to the show.
Read more about Elinor "Ellie" Walker: Overview, Ellie and Andy, Ellie's Adventures, Closure
Famous quotes containing the word walker:
“croppers rotting shacks
with famine, terror, flood, and plague near by;
where sentiment and hatred still held sway
and only bitter land was washed away.”
—Margaret Abigail Walker (b. 1915)